In the Dark
by laura0506
Summary: Déaga is Sméagol's best friend, and Déagol's brother. As time passes, she realises her feelings towards Sméagol is a bit stronger than she imagined. Everything goes perfectly before Sméagol's thirty-third birthday. Rated T for minor language and gory scene.


**Hello, FanFictioners! Here's a small 2 Chapter story that i hope you read and review! Enjoy!**

* * *

The wind blew softly against my face. I looked at Déagol with a look of annoyance. He was just grinning dully, blinking against the moving air that was touching his face.

"Déagol?" I asked. "Where's Sméagol?"

My brother looked at me with that dull expression on his face. His shoulders contracted and fell effortlessly. I sighed.

"Can we at least go fishing today?" I asked, making sure the boredom in my voice was recognisable.

"No."

"Déagol! Déaga!"

I turned and looked as the Stoor came running into view, a huge smile on his face.

"Sméagol!" I cried. Déagol seemed to light up too. I jumped up and leapt onto my best friend, crushing him.

"Hi, Déaga," he grinned. I smiled back as Déagol hobbled over. "Hi, Déagol."

The boys gave each other wide grins.

Smiling, I got off Sméagol, drinking in the emotions on his face carefully. He had an expression of glee and excitement, and if he were a painting, the artist would have needed to go carefully into much detail with the finest tip brush.

I'd known Sméagol for six years then. He'd been my friend ever since I had met him.

"What do you want to do today?" he asked, "We can go fishing…"

"…No way," I said. We go fishing every day. And though us Stoor species loved fishing, and we did it every day for a living, I was getting a bit bored.

"…or we can do something different…" he grinned.

I felt my heart speed up with the pumping, excitement searing through my veins.

"Oh!" I cried, "Please!"

"Oh, yes?" Déagol grumbled. "What can we do here? On a day like this? Apart from fishing?"

"There are loads of things to do apart from fishing!" Sméagol laughed. Déagol sat down on the grass, clutching his knees, the scowl on his face very clear. Sméagol sat down on his right, grinning. "Hunting, reading, writing…"

He looked at me as I squatted on Déagol's left.

"…talking, laughing, eating…"

"…getting up to mischief."

"Alright." Déagol said, mumbling. "Fine. One of those suggestions."

"Getting up to mischief!" I said at once. Sméagol grinned at me, his face loosened. Déagol looked at me before sighing and getting onto his squat feet.

"What about…" Sméagol said, grabbing Déagol's right arm, and my left. "…going on an adventure?"

"Come on, Sméagol," Déagol said, "We're getting far too old for this."

"Thirty-two is not old!" Sméagol said defiantly. "And it's my birthday in a few weeks thank you very much!"

"Sméagol!" I giggled, "Stop complaining!"

I just wanted to go onto our adventure. The urge made me grin unexpectedly but with pleasure.

"Fine," muttered he. "As long as we get some food afterwards."

I rolled my eyes. If Déagol was into anything, it was food.

"Why, of course," Sméagol said, smiling. "But we have to earn the food before we eat it."

We started to meander away, Déagol looking quite doubtful every two minutes.

* * *

"See?" Sméagol said, "See?"

I looked at the river, seeing no other living creature visible. A small, shallow waterfall was there, so bright and beautiful that you would think we were in heaven. The sun shone off the surface as it fell peacefully into the drop below. Sparkling water was so pretty, and the smell of a wide variation of flowers filled my nostrils.

"Yes," Déagol smiled, "I see."

"So do I," sounding amazed and bewildered by nature's beauty. "It's amazing…"

I watched Sméagol dive into the waters, and as he resurfaced, relief spread through his face.

"You have to try this out!" he said, "It's so warm in here!"

I saw Déagol hesitate before I jumped right on top of Sméagol, hearing him groan. Bubbles burst in front of my eyes, the warmth caressing my face. I slowly sank down to the bed, watching Sméagol as he slowly sunk down too.

I knew I had to resurface as my head started to feel heavy, my lungs gasping for oxygen. I dived back to the small ripples, to the light. I burst out, gasping like a dying fish but began spluttering with laughter.

Déagol started floating beside me as he smirked. I whipped my sodden hair back, blinking out the excess water from my vision.

"It's lovely here," I whispered. "I'm glad we found it."

Sméagol paddled along, a goofy beam that lit up his face by two or three shades. I had probably looked amused at this. This was the perfect day to hang out with my elder brother, and best friend.

For one moment, I ducked under the ripples, flexing my arms to swim under by the waterfall. The impact of the falling water hit the plunge pool, raining down on the aqua.

The water burst out as I removed my head from it. Coughing out the clear solution, my eyes burned and my head screamed.

Pain seeped out of my face, but soon left as overwhelmed thoughts came to me as soon as my vision came to me. Immediately, I fell to the cave's attractiveness.

The walls of the cave were glistening with the calm waterfall's reflection, like projectors shooting waves of light over the slippery walls. There was a perfect little island, behind the curtain of water, wreathed in glistening lights.

My legs ached as I managed to pull my body onto the island, shaking my hair.

"Déaga!" The voice echoed through the cave like a tinkling bell. His head first appeared from under the waterfall, struggling as he approached my island.

"Sméagol, you have to check this out," I said, trying to hide the excitement smoothed over in my voice, but failed.

He came, and Déagol too. We all were there, perched at the dark stone, watching the watery shapes move past us.

"It's getting late," Déagol said. I looked at him, glaring. He wanted to go back.

"So?" our friend said, surprised. "We'll be back before supper."

"But we'll miss dinner!" Déagol moaned, glowering at him, before me.

Sméagol looked at his friend, before sighing and shrugging. "Fine, let's go back."

* * *

I entered my house, Déagol trudging behind. He immediately ran to the kitchen, whereas I stumbled to my room, falling on my sheets, my face stuffed to the papery cloth.

There, I let the emotions cross inside me.

Déagol was a good brother, I had to agree, but was a bit mopey. Then, there was Sméagol, our best friend. He was ever so kind, handsome for one of the River folk. He was the greatest friend…ever.

When my heart sped up, a smile flitting over to my lips; I then knew that Sméagol was more than a friend.

I was in love.

* * *

Mortified – I was. Déagol knew in a flash that next morning of the smile brightening on my face, colour returning to my freckled cheeks.

"What happened to you?" he asked.

"Nothing," I blushed.

My brother looked at me unconvinced before shrugging and giving an effortless 'meh' before walking up the house. I followed him down the path moving to the river. We sat for a few minutes – maybe an hour, by each other.

"Déagol?" I asked quietly. He looked at me.

"What?"

"Do you like Sméagol?" I blurted suddenly.

"Yeah…why, Déaga?" he asked, confused.

"Just wondering," I said, shrinking my neck, bowing my head lower. We spent some more time, before I saw Sméagol.

"Hi," he said. I stood up, greeting him. Déagol did too, a little grumpy. "I'm going to have a birthday party soon – I wanted to tell you so we could do something special."

"I want to see your family," I grinned. He melted in embarrassment before smiling.

"What else?"

"Dunno," Déagol said. "Can't go fishing."

"Why not?" Sméagol cried out. "You love fishing!"

"There's no point, because we never get fish and Déaga doesn't know the right end of the rod."

I glared at my brother. "I'll stay at home, if that helps. I can stay with Sméagol's family."

"What's so interesting in my family?" Sméagol asked, amused. I shrugged and stuck my tongue out. He sighed and smiled. "Déagol and I can go fishing then, 'til sunset, and then we can have our late dinner and supper."

"But my birthday's in two weeks," Sméagol said. "Still ages to go!"

* * *

The next week was fun, but the week after was busy. Déagol and my grandma grew ill, so they had to take some responsibility. Sméagol was trying to manage the week without his us.

The day before his birthday, I sat by my grandma's bed, arranging the flowers on her bedside table.

"It's his birthday," her grandma said suddenly. I froze and recoiled from the flowers.

"Yeah."

"And you're not there."

"Umm…no."

"Why are you here?"

"Because you're ill, Grandma."

"But why are you here? If I was ill anyway and you didn't know, you wouldn't have come."

"I came because I love you, Grandma, and I care for you."

"I want you to be happy," the elderly Stoor said. "So, you can go back to your cousin's birthday."

I smiled. "Thank you, Grandma. Promise me that you will be well."

"You know me," her Grandma chuckled. "I'll be as well as a weasel!"

* * *

Sméagol huffed and tapped impatiently and irksomely on his window. It was late on his birthday eve and he was lying on his bed, doing absolutely nothing.

"Let them be here," he said, closing his eyes. "For my birthday. Let Déagol and Déaga come."

I walked in. "Sméagol."

He jumped up, opening his eyes and looking at me. "Déaga?!"

"We're here for your birthday," I said. "Well, Déagol's back at the house, eating, of course. But I'm here, and we'll both be here for tomorrow."

He jumped up and down. "Can't wait!"

I smiled softly. "I know – neither can I."

* * *

I arrived early the next morning, letting Déagol lie in, as I set off to Sméagol's house. Some of his family were already there, greeting me.

A small girl looked at me. "Is this the girl Sméagol always talks about?"

"Talking of Sméagol," I said, "where is he?"

"In his room," she said. "But you're his girlfriend, right? Do you like him? Have you kissed yet? Will you get married? Shall you have children? May I be their godmother? Will you both live together?"

I laughed at all these questions, amazingly hiding the embarrassment. "Umm…I'm not his girlfriend, and we definitely haven't kissed and we won't have children, or get married."

She cocked her head. "But that's what he told me. I will tell you my first memory. He came home one day, and he looked dazed. I said, "Sméagy, it looks like you've seen a ghost." And he said, "Maybe I have, Lilly." And I said, "What kind of ghost was it?" And he said, "A very special girl-ghost. She's the sister of my best friend. I think I like her.""

I nodded. "That was the first day we met. But we're only friends."

She looked thoroughly bemused, shaking her head. "But he said he has a girlfriend."

"Lilly," a stern voice came, from the door. "I hope your not being mean to Sméagol's friends."

"I'm not talking to any sort of ordinary friend," Lilly giggled. "I'm talking to Sméagol's girlfriend!"

"Oh!" the woman came over to me and shook my hand. "You must be Déaga! I've heard all about you! You're Sméagol's girlfriend – I knew I thought I knew her name somewhere…"

"We're not-" I started.

"-Is he awake yet?" the woman asked. "Oh, I'm Iris by the way. This is my mischievous daughter, Lilly." The little girl stuck her tongue out.

I heard footsteps come, and Sméagol by the door. He smiled. "Hi, Déaga! Same to you Lilly, Iris."

"Sméagol!" Iris smiled. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thank you," he said.

Little Lilly hopped up to Sméagol. "Sméagy, I met your girlfriend. I met your girlfriend!"

"Oh!" He blushed crimson, and mouthed to me 'Sorry!' I smiled and mouthed back, 'It's okay.'

Little Lilly smiled at 'Sméagy' and said, "So, she is your girlfriend?"

"Umm…" He shrugged. "Sure."

Lilly laughed and ran forward so he could lift her. She looked at me. "I'm Lilly. You are…?"

"You know who she is," Sméagol started.

"Ssh!" she said. "We've got to do it properly!"

"I'm Déaga," I smirked. "Pleased to meet you."

* * *

The rest of the day was eventful. At noon, Sméagol left with Déagol to go fishing, and I stayed with the rest of the family.

"I've never seen a girl work so hard," Iris chuckled, as I washed the dishes. "Remarkable."

"It's nothing really," I said. "Déagol never does anything at home, so I do it."

"Well, let's lay out supper."

"It's a bit early for supper," I said, confused.

"Yeah, but it'll go cold if everyone won't eat it now," she smiled.

Everyone was eating their supper, until I noticed two empty seats, two untouched dishes.

"Where're Sméagol and Déagol?" I asked.

"They're fishing," Iris said.

"They left at noon," I said.

"Well, you know boys and fishing," a lady said, called Lilac. "They always take forever."

"That's true," one of Sméagol's uncles said. They all laughed as I peered uneasily out of the window, seeing sunset fall upon us.

* * *

An hour or so later, the whole family sat in the living room, except the Birthday Boy and my brother.

"Déaga," Iris said. "I'm sorry, could you put Lilly to bed? I'm waiting for the kettle to boil and…"

"Okay," I smiled, standing up. Little Lilly protested for a minute before I squatted by her and took her hand. "Will you come with me?"

"I don't want to go to bed," she whined, as I led her out of the room.

"It's only for a little while," I said. "Because in the evening, when you're asleep, everyone is going, so you'll go back home."

"I'm going in Sméagol's room," she said. "Mummy said."

"Okay," I said, steering us to Sméagol's room. Little Lilly jumped upon the bed, diving under the changed covers.

"I'm not going to go asleep," she said. "Unless you read me a story."

"I don't know any stories," I argued.

"Songs?"

"One."

"Go ahead," she smiled.

"_In the dark, in the dark,_

_There'll only be dogs to bark._

_Peace around the panting breaths,_

_The same aura for all death._

_No song or bird or a lark,_

_In the dark, in the dark_."

"That's a lovely song," she said, quietly.

I had almost forgotten she was there. "I know the lyrics are a bit…dark, but I think it's a nice tune."

"How did you learn it?" she asked, eagerly.

"I heard Sméagol humming a tune one day, and we were in the dark, so I adapted the tune and fitted the lyrics in," I shrugged.

"Goodnight, Déaga," she whispered, as I stood up.

I smiled, blowing out the candles. "Goodnight, Little Lilly."

I was walking back to the living room, only hearing voices.

"Imagine that!" a voice said. "Sméagol having a girlfriend – he was always the type to always shrink away from the girls."

"She's a nice girl, though," a male voice said.

"Let's hope he won't break her heart," another woman said quietly.

There, I learnt some new words to my song.

_In the dark, in the dark,_

_Where words can leave big marks._

_There is a heart which he can thieve,_

_Then will abandon it and leave._

_Let's just hope he won't break her heart,_

_In the dark, in the dark._

* * *

**Thank you for reading! Please don't forget to review and wait for the next chapter!**


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